Flying from Dallas: what you need to know
DFW is American Airlines' largest hub worldwide, and that concentration has a double-edged effect on pricing. American controls roughly 80% of DFW's traffic, which means they set the floor on most routes — but the scale also means frequent sales and competitive positioning against United (Houston) and Southwest (Love Field).
Don't forget Love Field. Southwest's historic base at DAL is a legitimate alternative for domestic flights. The Wright Amendment is long gone, so Southwest now flies everywhere from Love Field. Fares to Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, and Nashville are often cheaper from DAL than DFW.
Internationally, DFW benefits from American's global network. Nonstops to London (both Heathrow and Gatwick), Paris, Tokyo, Seoul, Sydney, São Paulo, and Mexico City. The London route is heavily served — three daily frequencies some days — which keeps pricing reasonable. Sub-$500 roundtrips appear in January and February.
Latin American routes from DFW are excellent. American runs nonstops to Cancún, Cabo, Costa Rica, Guatemala City, Lima, Bogotá, and Santiago. Complement those with Volaris and VivaAerobus for budget Mexico options.
DFW's geographic position in the center of the country means no domestic route is excessively long. Both coasts are 3-4 hours, and fares reflect that efficiency. It's one of the best-connected airports in the world by route count.
Cheapest windows: January-February for international, September-October for domestic. Summer and Christmas week are the most expensive by a wide margin.